I am a penny pinching, thrift-store loving, money saving lady who loves a homey home! So why spend all my money on decorations from the store when I can make my own for way less!? So, because I know there are so many out there just like me, I find it my duty to share my work and ideas to my thrifty kindred spirits.

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Monthly Archives: May 2017

So you may not know that aside from being thrifty, I am also quite nerdy. I’m not talking about smarty pants with glasses nerd. I am talking Queen of the Nerds, nerd level over 9000, I’m every kind of nerd you could classify nerds into. Think Leonard on Big Bang Theory. I’m a scientist (Genomics). I play video games (PC master race!), I read high fantasy and science fiction novels for funsies. I watch Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter on the monthly. I have a tattoo in elvish on my forearm for all the world to see. I watch anime and go to conventions and cosplay. I like to wait after the credits in marvel movies…anyway you get the point.

So we bought a house and I wanted a doormat, but not some doormat that said “welcome”, cause that’s not extra enough for my liking. I was browsing on etsy for one with some pizzazz and came across some Lord of the Rings doormats with like the Eye of Sauron and like the Doors of Durin. Now these are like 50 dollar mats which, I don’t know about you, is too rich for my blood, but I got inspired! So I took the translation from the Doors of Durin riddle and slapped it on a coir mat I paid $9 for at Target.

Taa Daa!

I think it turned out pretty well for my first try though the words are a little close together in the first line.

What you need:

Coir or coconut mat (Target has one for $9)

Glossy acryllic craft paint

Round shaped paint brush

Craft Foam

Exacto knife

Painter’s tape or something similar

Sharpie

Directions:

First I found an image of the font used in Lord of the Rings inspired things like artwork etc. I wrote out what i wanted on the craft foam in thick lettering that I then cut out with the exacto knife to create a template.

I then taped my template onto the mat, which is slightly difficult since the mat is not the best surface for tape to cling to so i wrapped in around the back of the mat too since its rubber and the tape stuck better on that.

I then dipped a fairly large round shaped brush in the paint and did a stipple motion while holding the template edges down in the area i was painting on.

It was as simple as that! I let it dry for a few days and so far (a year later) it has held up and the paint has not faded. Hope you create your own welcome mat that is as inspired as you!